Midlife Minute: A Happy Ending (for now)

Remember the story about Alaina Giordano, the mother with metastatic breast cancer who lost custody of her two children? Like me, many of you – were outraged at the judge's ruling.

Steph A. commented: "Is it ridiculous to wish that the public outcry might change things?" and Ruth P. so aptly summed it up: "Boneheaded, cruel, incomprehensible."

Some justice has emerged. The Facebook page set up by Giordano was "liked" by more than 21,000 people. And one online petition gathered over 100,000 names. If that doesn't qualify for solid—and effective—public outcry, I don't know what does.

And it also looks like Judge Nancy Gordon might have some compassion, after all. Last week, she awarded Giordano a temporary reprieve, and her two young children will be able to remain in her custody.

It's a good first step, don't you agree? Hopefully, the children will be granted a permanent stay (that process could take months). But for now, at least, all is well. The children will be with their mother, and their mother, already suffering enough, won't have to also suffer the loss of her children.

I'm sure they are all over the moon with this decision.